As a counselor, I feel I should chat a bit about the Freudian comparison of the id to the super ego when Erevelles refers to it in his article. I do think he's stretching the concept a bit. In his reference to the African-American culture, he signifies it as pleasure-seeking a way of life that must be repressed in order to appear more like the super ego in Euro-American subjects. I'm not sure if I buy into this thinking in so far as I have never thought of African-American being a wild, pleasure-seeking group but then again I have never thought about stereo typing an entire culture or group. With that said, it does not surprise me that researchers find that many Americans do have this prejudicial thinking going on. (Perhaps the entire world may be viewing Euro-Americans this way and thus, the anger. I have never thought about Euro-Americans as being super ego but yes, Through the lens of media, I can see how super egos of the group does feel "entiled" and "with it" socially, mentally, financially, etc. as though their super ego"ness" is right on the mark. (Pretty sad). Can't we all just take the middle ground and be an ego (recognizing that we are not perfect but striving toward perfection).
What do the rest of you think about this comparison: the id and the super ego?
Comments (2)
I think Erevelles was attempting to explain how, like the Id, Ego, and Super Ego, we form our self-concepts in relation to the other parts of our Selves that we would like to bury. I'm not sure I understand the racial connections, except that they are stereotypes? And that our Selves contain all possible personality elements (and all races?)
Posted by marisa | July 14, 2009 4:40 PM
Posted on July 14, 2009 16:40
I too thought this analogy was interesting. I don't know the answer. I do know that there is most certainly a "super-ego-like" tone among many European Americans, perhaps even stronger than among Europeans. I think that Erevelles is pointing to a perception among African Americans in the defined by otherness. The word "pass" was once alive in the African American community to denote someone (typically of lighter-African American complexion) who would seek to be part of the majority culture. So it may be hard for white folks to see, but I believe this example does say something of the perception of African Americans in a white-dominated society.
Posted by Alan Mueller | July 22, 2009 9:31 AM
Posted on July 22, 2009 09:31